Disclaimer: Again some of the dialogue is taken from the show but I don't own it

A week later Buffy still hadn't seen Angel. She'd been too afraid to go to the gallery, and he hadn't been round for dinner at all, usually he came round at least once if not twice a week, but this time only Kathy and Giles did. She missed him; his laugh, his smile, his company, his presence. She missed it all. Finally she'd had enough. She skipped school when she knew her mom had her dinner break and went to the gallery. Angel looked up when she entered and took a deep breath. She looked stunning. "Buffy." He'd meant it to sound welcoming, instead it sounded breathy and full of want. He took a deep breath and tried again. "Buffy, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"I cut. I missed you." She gave him such a cute pout, that Angel had to grip on to a table to stop himself from rushing to her and kissing it away. "Oh…I…uh…"

"Why have you been avoiding me? You haven't come for dinner once this week."

He coughed, trying to stop his sudden outbreak of stutters. "Well erm, I was really busy. You know, sorting out the apartment, it's still not finished completely."

She nodded and looked down before moving closer to him. Angel took a step back and shook his head. "Buffy, if you and I date, we both know one thing's gonna lead to another."

She took another step closer. "One thing already has led to another. Don't you think it's a little late to be reading me a warning label?"

Angel looked down. She was so young, she didn't understand what it could be like. "I'm just trying to protect you. This could get outta control."

She was right in front of him now. "Isn't that the way it's supposed to be?"

He grabbed hold of her shoulders and hoisted her up to his level, causing a small gasp to leave her. "This isn't some fairytale. When I kiss you, you don't wake up from a deep sleep and live happily ever after."

She shook her head. "No, when you kiss me I wanna die." She broke free of him and walked out of the gallery.

When she got back to school she was in a daze. Angel was never going to come round, she knew that now. He was just so damn stubborn. Why didn't he see it? They liked each other, a lot. They were both single. Yeah, four year age gap, so what? And so what if he's got a questionable past? She didn't care. She just wanted him.

Cordelia walked up to her when other people were piling from the class. "Buffy! Did you lose weight? And your hair…alright I respect you too much to be dishonest. The hair's a little…well that really isn't the point here is it? The Zeta Kappas have to have a certain balance at their party. And Richard explained it all to me but I was so busy really listening that I didn't hear much."

Buffy thought to the day before when she'd met Richard and Tom. She hadn't liked Richard in the slightest but Tom, he seemed nice. Cordelia carried on speaking, much to Buffy's annoyance.

"Anyway, the deal is they need you to go. And if you don't go, I can't. And I'm talking about Richard Anderson, okay? As in Anderson Farms, Anderson aeronautics, and Anderson cosmetics." She sobbed slightly at the last one. "Well you see why I have to go. Buffy, these men are rich! And I am not being shallow. Think of all the poor people I could help with all my money!"

Buffy was thinking about Angel's words and she made her decision. "I'll go."

Cordelia looked at her surprised, then beamed. "You'll go? Great. I'll drive. Oh, Buffy, it's like we're sisters. With really different hair!"

Buffy had told Willow about the party, and she was more than a little jealous that Buffy was going with Cordelia. Now, sitting in the car, Buffy wasn't sure it was such a good idea. However, she had little choice when Cordelia practically dragged her inside…

Willow had blurted out to Xander that Buffy was attending the fraternity party that night, and he'd immediately driven down there, wanting to check that Buffy was safe. He didn't trust those frat guys, not with HIS Buffy. Of course, Xander knew nothing about Angel. Willow didn't trust him to keep his mouth shut in front of Spike if he knew. Willow was sitting in the Bronze alone, thinking Xander might show up, when she heard a girl talking about the frat parties. "What they do to girls…I'd never go there…" Willow's heart dropped into her stomach and she ran over to the girl…

Angel was sitting in his apartment, preparing to drown his sorrows when there was a frantic knocking on his door. He sighed and went to open it, fully intending to tell the person where to stick it before going back to his brooding session. However, the person at the door was Willow. And she seemed very worried. He let her in and she paced slightly before launching into a speech.

"I'm worried about Buffy. I was talking to a girl earlier and she said bad things happen at frat parties, especially ones at the Delta Zeta Kappa house, and now I'm really worried, and I don't know what to do and I thought I could come to you because if I went to Spike he'd totally flip and -"

"Willow, calm down. What does a frat party have to do with Buffy?"

"Buffy's gone there tonight, with Cordelia." She waited for the explosion and winced visibly when it finally came.

"What?! Is she completely insane?! She's only 17!!"

"Well…" She was nervous now. She hated seeing Angel angry, she hated it even more when she was the cause of it.

"Did she have a date?!" Willow paused slightly and Angel gave an irritated snort. A feeling of protectiveness for her best friend came over her and she squared her shoulders.

"Well why do you think she went to that party? Because you gave her the brush-off!!" Angel gave her a surprised look. "Yeah, I know all about that! She told me! You really upset her! You've known her eleven years and you still don't know how to tactful around her? And after Parker I'm sure that helped her confidence a lot!"

She took a deep breath and Angel was quiet, battled into submission by Willow's heart felt speech.

"Okay. I don't feel better now, and we've got to help Buffy."